The Editor Page

This page describes how you can edit a dialog and the tools that are used.

Dialog Management

Resizing the dialog

Drag the margins of the dialog while it is selected.

Controls Management

Adding controls to the dialog

Use the [ New Control ] toolbar button while the focus is on a dialog. A drop down list of all the available controls will be displayed. Select one and click on the dialog surface where you want to place it.

You can also add controls with the use of the toolbox.

Use the [ Toolbox ] toolbar button or the "Toolbox" context menu item to display it.

For a list of all the controls that can be used please see the Installer Controls page.

Removing controls

Use the [ Delete ] toolbar button or press the Delete key while one or a group of controls is selected.

If the dialog is selected using the [ Delete ] button will remove it.

Aligning controls

Use the [ Align ] toolbar button or the "Align" context menu item while a group of controls is selected. You have the following options:

• Lefts
• Rights
• Tops
• Bottoms
• Middles
• Centers

Centering controls

Use the [ Center ] toolbar button or the "Center in dialog" context menu item while a group of controls is selected. You have the following options:

• Vertical
• Horizontal

Spacing Controls

Use the [ Space Evenly ] toolbar button or the "Space Evenly" context menu item while a group of controls is selected. You have the following options:

• Across
• Down

Making same size controls

Use the [ Same Size ] toolbar button or the "Make Same Size" context menu item while a group of controls is selected. You have the following options:

• Width
• Height
• Both

Display Grid and Dialog Margins

Use the [ Settings ] toolbar button. The Editor Settings dialog will be displayed allowing you to customize the grid and dialog margins.

Layout Behavior

You can specify the Editor's behavior when changing some attributes of dialogs or controls that have counterparts on other dialogs. Use the [ Settings ] toolbar button. The Editor Settings dialog will be displayed allowing you to choose the desired behavior.

Bring To Front

Use the [ Bring To Front ] button, the "Order > Bring To Front" context menu item or press the Ctrl + Shift + F keys while one or multiple controls are selected in order to bring them on top of the Z-order (tab-order).

Send To Back

Use the [ Send To Back ] button, the "Order > Send To Back" context menu item or press the Ctrl + Shift + B keys while one or multiple controls are selected in order to send them to the bottom of the Z-order (tab-order).

Tab Order Dialog

Use the [ Tab Order ] toolbar button, the "Control Tab Order" context menu item or press the Ctrl + T keys while the focus is on the dialog. The Control Tab Order dialog will be displayed enabling you to specify a tab order.

Edit Tab Order

Use the "Tab Order > Edit in Place" toolbar drop-down menu option. In this way you can edit the control tab order "in place". Overlay labels will appear over each control of your dialog, representing the tab order index. By clicking on a control you can alter its tab order index as follows: if the Ctrl key is pressed the index of the control is increased, else if the Shift key is pressed the index of the control is decreased. You can click repeatedly on a control until it reaches the desired tab index. If no key is pressed while clicking the controls the Editor automatically counts the altered controls and assigns sequential tab indexes. You can exit the tab order edit mode by pressing the [ Tab Order ] toolbar button.

Child controls such as: Radio Buttons or BBControls are not involved in the tab order cycle; they rather fallow their parent controls (Radio Button Groups or Billboard Host controls, respectively).

Control replication

Select the controls and use the "Copy" / "Cut" and "Paste" context menu options or the Ctrl + C / Ctrl + X and Ctrl + V accelerator keys. All the control's dependencies are also replicated.

The option can be also used between different instances of the application.

Control Selection

Click on the control you want to select or choose it in the controls list from the Properties pane.

The selected control will be made visible even if other controls overlay it.

These settings are custom for every dialog and control.

Two controls from different dialogs are counterparts if the following requirements are met:

• Same type
• Same name
• Same size
• Same location on the dialog

The actions that will trigger an uniform behavior are: Resize and Move.

Multiple Selection

Select the controls while holding the Ctrl or Shift key down or use mouse lasso.

In a multiple selection there is a main control. It's properties are used as reference in actions that involve a group of controls.

If you use the Ctrl key the last selected control is the main control while if you use the Shift key the first selected control is the main control.

Moving Controls

Drag and drop the selected control or use the Up, Down, Left, Right keys.

Resizing controls

Drag the margins of the selected control or use the Shift + Up, Down, Left, Right keys.

Specifying Control Data

Use the "Control Data" context menu item or press the Ctrl + D keys while the focus in on the control. The Control Data dialog will be displayed allowing to add control data.

This option is only available for Combo Box, List Box and List View controls.

Adding a Billboard Host control

Use the [ New Control ] toolbar button or the Toolbox.

The billboard host control is not actually visible on the dialog. It displays some "views" referred to as billboards that will contain the billboard controls. When the billboard host is added to the dialog it contains a view.

As billboards most common use is to display images or text during a long operation, the billboard host control is automatically subscribed to the SetProgress Event.

To switch among the billboards of the billboard host, select them in the "Billboards" list from the Properties pane.

Adding a new billboard to the project

Select the billboard host control on the dialog and from the context menu choose the "Edit Billboards" option. The Billboards dialog will be displayed allowing you to create a new billboard or edit an existing one.